Whether you drink wine or not, you must be familiar with this line: 'Give me a bottle of 1982 Lafite.'
Indeed, this is a common practice among the wealthy in films; they casually open a bottle of Lafite, and it must be from 1982. However, it's been 43 years since 1982; how many bottles of Lafite were actually produced that year? Has it really not been finished yet?
The 1982 Lafite in film and television dramas
Flowing film and television dramas, but the 1982 Lafite remains constant.
Many people first learned about the 1982 Lafite because of a widely circulated screenshot from the 1989 movie (God of Gamblers), where Chow Yun-fat's character looks at the camera with the subtitle 'Bring me a bottle of 1982 Lafite.'
Here’s a myth to debunk: Chow Yun-fat never actually said this line in the movie; it was mistakenly associated with the image later on, which is why we have always thought of him as the 'wild spokesperson' for the 1982 Lafite due to the 'Mandela effect.'
It can be said that the 1982 Lafite is undoubtedly the 'old actor' of Hong Kong films and TV dramas, frequently appearing in scenes of discussions among big shots and casual dates.
Although the storylines of the films differ, they all convey that the 1982 Lafite is very expensive and rare.
So what is special about Lafite from that year?
What makes the 1982 Lafite so special?
Before talking about the 1982 Lafite, let's understand Lafite first.
When we mention Lafite, we are referring to one of the types of wine produced by the famous French winery, Château Lafite Rothschild. The winery was established in 1354 and is located in the Pauillac region on the left bank of Bordeaux. In 1868, Baron James Mayer de Rothschild invested in the winery, which was then renamed Château Lafite Rothschild.
Nowadays, when people talk about Lafite, they usually add a year in front. It is important to note that this year refers not to the time the wine was completed, but to the time the grapes were harvested. For example, the 1982 Lafite refers to the grapes harvested in 1982 for making this wine.
One reason for the explosion in popularity of the 1982 Lafite is that the grapes from that year are exceptional.
The quality of the grapes is related to the local geographical conditions.
In terms of climate, Bordeaux is located in the southwest of France, adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Influenced by the warm Atlantic currents, it has a maritime temperate climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, providing excellent conditions for growing quality grape varieties. The climate in 1982 was warm with plenty of sunshine, enhancing the chlorophyll's photosynthesis in the grapes, which created the right 'timing' for grape growth.
Now let's look at the soil. The left bank of Bordeaux has a flat terrain, and the soil types are complex and diverse, mainly consisting of gravel layers and weathered sandy soil. This mixed soil has excellent aeration and drainage properties, and the various stones absorb the sun's heat during the day and release it to the vines and grapes at night, providing an important 'geographical advantage.'
The 1982 Lafite is renowned worldwide, partly due to endorsements from authoritative figures.
Famous wine critic Robert Parker created the 100-point scoring system for red wine, which can determine the fate of a bottle of wine or even an entire winery, having a significant impact on the wine industry. Robert once gave the 1982 Lafite a perfect score of 100 points, and with his professional recognition, the 1982 Lafite quickly gained fame.
Another aspect that cannot be overlooked is the promotion of the 1982 Lafite in films and dramas. The combination of 1982 and Lafite has basically remained unchanged, and drinking the 1982 Lafite in many movies symbolizes 'being very rich' and 'having great taste.' Over time, people began to believe that the 1982 Lafite is of the best quality, superior to Lafite from other years.
However, there are good vintages of Lafite besides 1982; the 1959, 1986, and 1990 Lafites are also quite good. These three years, along with 1982, are known as the 'Four Great Vintages of Lafite in the 20th Century.' In the TV series (You Are My Glory), a bottle of 1990 Lafite appeared at a class reunion, and the person ordering the wine remarked that the year was good.
Returning to the question of how many bottles of Lafite were produced in 1982, there is currently no exact production information available.
Some views suggest that the vineyard area suitable for harvesting grapes at Château Lafite Rothschild in 1982 was about 60 hectares. If 8,500 grapevines were planted per hectare, and each 2-3 vines produced one bottle of Lafite, the total production would not exceed 240,000 bottles, and even fewer would have arrived in China.
The wine itself is limited; drinking one bottle means one less. As for why it hasn't been consumed yet, it may be due to the abundance of counterfeit products on the market. After all, the genuine 1982 Lafite is extremely precious, and even if it exists, it likely won't circulate easily in the market.
However, whether the 1982 Lafite consumed in films is real or not is not the most important; often, people drink not just for the wine but to express their strength and taste, which is far more significant.
When can I have a bottle of 1982 Lafite? That's a question.
